---
title: "How To: Create Custom Rubrics"
description: Atomic Assessments supports rubrics built from question types, giving instructors full flexibility to design rubrics that can be auto-scored and to provide rich feedback to learners.
---

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# How To: Create Custom Rubrics

## Atomic Assessments supports rubrics built from question types, giving instructors full flexibility to design rubrics that can be auto-scored and to provide rich feedback to learners.

Unlike traditional table-based rubrics (e.g., *Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, Needs Improvement*), Atomic Rubrics are built as **items** in your item bank that you can reuse, customize, and score automatically.

[Creating a Rubric Item](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#creating-a-rubric-item)  
[Attaching a Rubric to a Question](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#attaching-a-rubric-item)[Using Rubrics During Grading](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#grading-with-rubrics)  
[Displaying Rubric Feedback to Students](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#student-feedback)  
[Scoring Complex Rubrics](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#scoring-complex-rubrics)[Example Use Cases](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#example-cases)  
[Sample Rubric Item](https://support.atomicjolt.com/knowledgebase/custom-rubrics#sample-rubric-export)

### **Rubric Options in Atomic Assessments**

Rubrics can be created from any item in your **item bank**, using standard question types:

- **Auto-scored rubrics** – scores populate automatically based on question logic.
- **Manual rubrics** – instructors enter scores and feedback manually.
- **Custom rubric items** – reference materials or interactive feedback tools using PDFs, audio, or essay questions.

Examples of rubric item types include:

- **Multiple Choice or True/False** – define scoring options and enable auto-scoring.
- **Essay or Short Text** – provide written feedback alongside scores.
- **Audio Recorder** – record personalized voice feedback.
- **Passage Rubric** – upload a rubric as a document for reference.

### **Creating a Rubric Item**

Before attaching a rubric to a question, you’ll first need to create the rubric item.

**Video guide:** [Create a Rubric Item](https://www.loom.com/share/c32344565bc843d890457d868d96185c?sid=41296801-5c8c-4b44-a7ee-f672964fa99b)

**Steps:**

1. Navigate to **Atomic Assessments → Content Manager → Items**
2. Click **Create Item** and select a **question type**.
3. **Design your rubric item.** For example:  
     - *Passage Rubric*: upload a PDF and describe usage instructions.
     - *Multiple Choice / True-False Rubric*: define answer options and correct responses for auto-scoring. 
           - For rubrics with multiple possible point values, create **alternate answers** for each score level.
     - *Audio Recorder Rubric*: allow instructors to record audio feedback.Set the max score to 0 if not using to contribute to the rubric score.
     - *Essay Rubric*: provide a text field for instructor comments. Set the max score to 0 if not using to contribute to the rubric score.
4. **Name** your item and **Save** it to your item bank.

### Attaching a Rubric to a Question<https://www.loom.com/share/0c3a4c59dd714df4ab156ca0c22c8e0b?sid=9cbf458f-9fa0-4e27-89c4-367d24201099>

**Video guide:** [Add and remove rubrics from Questions](https://www.loom.com/share/0c3a4c59dd714df4ab156ca0c22c8e0b?sid=9cbf458f-9fa0-4e27-89c4-367d24201099)

To link your rubric item to a question:

1. Open the question in the **question editor**.
2. From the question-level **⋮ (triple-dot) menu**, select **Set Rubric**.
3. Choose the rubric item from your item bank and click **Save**. 
     - This sets the rubric\_reference field in the question metadata.
4. To remove the rubric later, open the same menu and select **Clear Rubric**.

**Note:** Rubrics remain linked to the question. If you reuse the question in another assessment, the rubric stays attached. To reuse the question without a rubric, **duplicate** the question first.

### Using Rubrics During Grading

**Video guide:**[Grading with Rubrics](https://www.loom.com/share/08a9ec8b263d4d07ae4cd62f18b5dd1a?sid=8594f980-3321-4e47-b713-7342b46e1ea7)

When reviewing student submissions:

1. Open the **Attempt Review** screen.
2. The rubric appears alongside the student’s response.
3. Depending on the rubric type:  
     - **Auto-scored rubrics** automatically evaluate and fill the score field.
     - **Other rubrics** provide instructor-facing tools (e.g., PDF, audio, essay fields) to provide feedback.
4. The rubric score automatically records as the **question score**, but instructors can **override** it if needed.
5. Rubric scores are scaled to the **question it is attached to total points**.

### Displaying Rubric Feedback to Students

If the **Teacher Feedback** option is enabled in the assignment settings, students can view rubric feedback after grading.

Examples of what students might see:

- An **audio recording** with personalized feedback.
- **Auto-scored** results from a multiple-choice rubric.

### Scoring Complex Rubrics

Some rubrics may include **multiple point values** within one question (e.g., one category worth 1 point, another worth 2 points). The current scoring engine supports **single point distributions** best and has limitations with mixed point values in a single matrix question.

#### **Supported Setup**

- **1-Point Matrix Rubric:** Works correctly when each row uses a two-column format.

![](https://support.atomicjolt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-Oct-08-2025-07-02-27-6647-PM.png?width=670&height=328&name=undefined-Oct-08-2025-07-02-27-6647-PM.png)

#### **Workarounds for Multi-Point Rubric**

**1. Split the rubric into separate questions**

- - Create one question per criterion, each with its own point value distribution.
    - This ensures accurate scoring and clear feedback.

**2. Set alternate answers**

- - Add alternate responses for each possible score: 
          - Full credit (correct answer)
          - Partial credit (alternate worth total of alternate point column)
          - No credit (no response)

**3. Test rubric items before use**

- - Build test questions in your item bank and preview scoring behavior.
    - Confirm that point values apply as expected before using in live assessments.

**Video guide:**[Complex Rubric Scoring (Loom)](https://www.loom.com/share/b7c01966a85a42dea70a306baf691071?sid=f924243b-219a-42a4-a9c3-7a7d7e8c10a4)

### Example Use Cases

**Writing Assignments**

- Attach a **PDF rubric** outlining essay expectations.
- Add an **MCQ rubric** to auto-score specific elements.
- Include an **Essay rubric** for instructor comments.

**Math / Science Problems**

- Use **numeric or MCQ rubrics** to auto-score accuracy.
- Add **audio feedback** explaining solution steps.

**Project-Based Learning**

- Use **essay rubrics** for subjective scoring.
- Add **audio rubrics** for quick personalized reflections.

---

### Sample Rubric Item

You can test rubric scoring using our example **multiple-choice rubric item**, which auto-assigns scores and populates the score field during grading.

To use it:

1. Upload the item to the **Content Manager**.
2. Create a new **assignment** using an existing activity.
3. Publish and take it as a **student** in a test course.
4. Review the **student attempt** to see the rubric in action.

[Rubric Example Export File](https://support.atomicjolt.com/hubfs/rubricexampleexport.zip?hsLang=en)

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